Fluid pressure device



Oct. .31, 1961 J. c. FULLER 3,006,509

FLUID PRESSURE DEVICE Filed Aprll :5, 1959 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH C. FULLER WW y@ ATTORNEY FIG. 5

United States Patent O 3,006,509 FLUID PRESSURE DEVICE Joseph C. Fuller, 525 S. Gerh'uda, Redondo Beach, Calif. Filed Apr. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 803,949 Claims. (Cl. 222-133) This invention pertains to a device for providing a source of pressurized uid such as used for spraying, painting, or the like.

The device of this invention may be used in furnishing pressurized iluid to garden sprayers for supplying insecticides or fertilizers under pressure to a spray nozzle. In the past, home gardens sprayers have utilized pneu matic pressure for driving the fluid, being manually pumped up to compress air within the sprayer to act as the pressure source. With these devices, however, it is almost impossible to obtain adequate high Pressure for spraying liquid in a finely divided form so necessary for proper distribution, economical coverage, and proper application to the plants. Not only is the pressure too low when such sprayers have been initially pumped up, but as they are used the pressure drops oi continually and becomes even less satisfactory. In spite of the fact that pressures have been far less than desirable values, these sprayers have been bulky and expensive units. Larger models have required the use of auxiliary power sources, resulting in considerable size and cost.

The device of this invention, however, achieves its pressure from the domestic water supply which is connected to a cylinder of transparent plastic in which a iloating piston reciprocates. A four-way valve controls the water to the cylinder, connecting either side of they piston to the water under pressure while the other discharges to the spray nozzle. Provision is made to introduce the uid to be discharged directly into the cylinder on the side of the piston remote from the pressurized water. More often, however, a mixing chamber upstream of the fourwayvalve is utilized into which the additive is introduced, mixing with the water subsequently admitted to the cylinder and automatically providing a quantity of properly mixed material within the cylinder.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a source of relatively high fluid under pressure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a source of constant iluid pressure utilizing a domestic water supply as a source of operating iiuid.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a means for introducing insecticides or other additives into uid to be sprayed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mixing chamber connected to the source of operating iluid having a valve which shuts off automatically when the operating fluid passes through the chamber.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a source of constant iluid pressure simple to operate, requiring no separate power units and necessitating no manual pumping.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention,

FIG. 2. is an enlarged top plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 1, Y

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the mixing chamber,

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the components of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a schematic View illustrating the four-way valve in the alternate position.

With reference to the drawing, the device of this invention includes a cylinder 1, preferably in the form of an elongated tube of methyl 'methacrylate or other clear 3,006,509 Patented Oct. 31, 19,61

ICC

plastic, to which are suitably secured ends Z and 3. Bottom end 3 connects to a base 4 for supporting the unit, while a handle 5- is included on top end wall 2 to permit convenient Carrying of. the device.

Within cylinder 1 is a free-iloating piston 6 sealed against the inner wall of the cylinder by a suitable sealing ring 7 so that no ow is possible across the piston. Communication with the upper side of piston 6 is provided by a conduit or line 8 extending into end member 2 and discharging into the interior of the cylinder. A similar connection is made through line 9 and bottom end member 3 to the bottom portion of the cylinder below piston 6.

Lines S and 9 join at a four-way valve 10, the outlet side of which connects through conduit 11 to a conventional spray nozzle 12. Normally, line 11 isan elongated ilexiblel tube so that the spray nozzle may be moved around at will. Valve 13 at the spray nozzle provides control of the fluid supply at that point. The inlet side of four-way valve 10 connects through nipple 14 to mixing chamber 15 which in turn connects Vto uid supply line 16. The latter may be simply a garden hose joined in the usual manner to -a source of domestic water supply. Upstream of the mixing chamber, a main shut-off valve 17 controls the flow in the supply line.

With particular reference now to FIG. 3, the construction `of the mixing chamber may be observed. A tube 18 extends upwardly into the chamber terminating adjacent but spaced from the top end 19 of the chamber. Valve member 20 is located at the top end 'of tube 18 and includes a guide stem 21 depending downwardly into tube 18. The bottom end of tube 18 threadably engages T-tting 2,2 to which the operating fluid supply line 16 is connected, and also which leads to a drain valve 23.

The operation of the invention may be understood by reference to the schematic showing of FIGS. 4 and 5 as well as to the other illustrations of the drawing. 'Ihe rst step in operating the device is to charge cylinder 1 with a quantity of properly mixed fluid to be sprayed. To accomplish this, piston 6 is positioned adjacent either one end wall or the other and it makes no difference which end wall is selected.

In shifting piston 6 to upper end wall 2, for example, four-way valve 10 is positioned as in FIG. l which connects lower conduit 9 with pressure line 16. Line 8 from the upper portion of cylinder 1 then is open to the discharge side of this valve and outlet line 11. With drain valve 23 in its closed position, valve 17 is opened to admit pressurized water from pump 25 (normally a domestic water supply) into chamber 15. From thence the pressurized water passes through line 9 to the lower end of the cylinder for shifting piston 6 to the upper end of its stroke, after which valve 17 is closed.

When the water under pressure from line 16 enters chamber 15,Y it forces valve member 20 upwardly against end wall 19 of the chamber as indicated in phantom in FIG. 3. This closes off opening 25 in end 19 of the mixing chamber, causing the water to pass through the chamber discharging through outlet 27 into fitting 14. Valve 10 then is reversed to the position of FIG. 5 and drain valve Z3 is opened to allow a small quantity of Water to ow from the interior of the mixing chamber. The water drains downwardly through tube 18 which it enters through radial opening 28 in the tube at the lower end of the mixing chamber. This makes room in chamber 15 to receive the additive to be sprayed. With valve 23 again closed, a quantity of the additive is introduced into the mixing chamber through -funnel 29, threadably received in opening 26. Reciprocative valve disc 20, guided through stem 21, will be in the lower position adjacent -the upper end of tube 18 after water has been drained yfrom the interior of chamber 15. An air Venti formed by a small tube 30 extends upwardly from the interior of chamber 15 to the upper end of the funnel so that the additive readily pours into chamber 15.

Normally, insecticides, liquid fertilizers. and the like are. supplied in concentrated'form to be diluted greatly before application. An insecticide, for example, may require the addition of one-gallon of water for each tablespoon of the concentrate. Such mixing is accomplished automatically by the device of this invention; Cylinder 1is Yprovided with markings 31 throughout-its length which indicate the volume displaced in thecylinder. If the cylinder is made to a one gallon capacity, valve 17 then is opened, and with the four-way valve in the position of FIG. 5, the piston 6 is lforced downwardly by the water entering through line 8 until it is adjacent bottom end 3. VAs this occurs, the water from line V16, passing through chamber 15, automatically mixes with the one tablespoon ofconcentrated insecticide which had been introduced through inlet opening 26. Therefore, when piston 6 reaches the bottom end of cylinder '1, the entire volume of the cylinder above piston 6 will contain Aone gallon of watery correctly mixed with one tablespoon of the concentrate. When piston 6 reaches bottom end 3 of the cylinder it will stop automatically. 'There is no necessity for further manipulation of valve V17 at this point. Valve 10 then is reversed to theposition of FIG. 4 and the mixed insecticide is sprayed out through-nozzle 12 as piston 6 is forced back up to the upper Vend of p proved pressure source usable for spraying operations, for

the cylinder, discharging the mixture of insecticide and water above the piston.

f As this is being done, if so desired, additional concentrate of the same or of a diierent nature VVmay be Vintroduced into chamber 15 and mixed into the water which is used for forcing the insecticide and water from above the piston. This concentrate is added in the same manner as described above. Thus, the operating uid that enters below piston 6 may be mixed with a concentrate The device of this invention is not limited to spraying materials which are mixed with water from line 16. It may be used as a pressure source for other applications of uid such as in supplying paint to a pressure roller. When this is done, nozzle 12 is replaced with a conventional pressure roller unit on a exible line leading from valve 10. Piston 6 is run to the bottom end ofthe cylinder, valve 17 closed, and the four-way valve reversed. Plug 32 in upper end wall 2 then is removed, the unit is invertcdan,d rthe water within the cylinder above the piston' is drained out. After this, paint to be applied is poured into the cylinder through the opening in end wall 2, afterV which the plug is replaced and valve 17 is opened.` This forces the paint above piston 6 outwardly through theV line connected to the discharge side of valve 10 to the pressure roller at the end of this line. The advantages of -a uniform high pressure again are available.

When a water base paint has been used, the clean-up operation is particularly simple requiring only the reciprocation of piston 6 which automatically washes out the interior of the cylinder. -If an -oil base paint has been employed, paint thinner may be poured into Ythe cylinder above piston 6 and run through the line, also effectively cleaning out the unit. It should be bornein mind that thepacking yring 7 on piston 6 at all times prevents the water used as a pressure source from bypassing the piston and mixing with the paintl being applied.

Therefore, it is Aapparent that I have provided an imsupplying paint to pressure rollers or for providing pressurized uid of any nature. With a simple, lightweight unit constant values of high pressure are obtainable giving better results and avoiding manual oper-rations. Mixture of concentrate into the water to be' discharged takes place so that by the time the piston reaches the top end of the cylinder, it is immediately ready for additional spraying when reversed and forced back to thel bottom end. This operation may be continued as long as desired. -There is no danger of intermixing different concentrates introduced in the cylinder in this manner because packing ring 7 assures that there is no icommunicatiou from one side of piston 6 to the other.

Should less `quantity of spray'be desired, piston 6 may be halted at an intermediate position in cylinder 1. For

example, if only one-half gallon of spray mixture were 2;.

desired of a concentrate to be mixed at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon, chamberv 15 would b e charged with one-half tablespoon of this insecticide. Piston 6 then would be moved by the fluid introduced into cylinder 1 only until it reached the mid-point between'the two end walls as determined by markings 31 on the cylinder, in which position one-halfgallon of mixture containing one-half tablespoon of concentrate would be introduced in the cylinder. Then upon'reversal of the four-way valve 10 the half-gallon of the mixture would be sprayed. Therefore, regardless of the quantity of material needed, or the particular ratio of the mixture for this material, the device of this invention will insure a proper mixture. lWhen the mixture is sprayed fromnozzle 12, a constant high pressure is present at the nozzle, greatly facilitating the spraying operation. This is because Vthe operating fluid in the form of a domestic water supply affords a pressure which does not materially uctuate and which reacting through piston 6 gives the fully adequate pressure at the nozzle. As a result, the insecticides, fertilizers or 'other materials sprayed become much more nely divided, coating with greater thoroughness and requiring considerably less of the mixture than is true with accurately and automatically and may be accomplished while .spraying is `taking place.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood is given by way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A device for providing a pressurized fluid of predetermined composition comprising a source of water under pressure; a rst conduit; a rst valve in said first conduit for controlling the iiow therethrough; a chamber series connected in said iirst conduit downstream of said rst valve, said chamber including a closable opening into the interior thereof through which an additive may be in serted, and a second closable opening through which iluid may be drained from said chamber; a four-way valve in said conduit downstream of said chamber; a duality of conduits connected to said four-way valvej a cylinder; a

floating piston in said cylinder, one of said duality of conduits connecting with one end of said cylinder andthe other of said duality of conduits connecting with the opposite end of said cylinder; and a discharge conduit connected to said vfour-way valve Iwhereby either of said duality of conduits is selectively connectable to said source conventional sprayers. Despite this, no auxiliary power operated device is needed, and manual pumping is eliminatedf- Y iY nected to said opening, and a vent tube extending upwardly through said opening to theupper end of said funnel.

3.` A device for providing pressurized fluid of predetermined composition comprising 'a cylinder; -a free-oating piston reciprocative in said cylinder; -a duality of Vconduits connected to said cylinder and located one 'at eitherend thereof; a source of' pressurized operatingy fluid; valve means interposed between said 4source of pressurized uid' yand said' conduit, said valve means including means for "Miri interconnecting either of said conduits with said source of pressurized uid for contacting said piston on either side thereof and moving said piston in response to said pressurized Huid, and further including means for discharging uid from said cylinder from the side of said piston remote from said source of pressurized uid; and means upstream of said valve means for introducing add- Itives into said pressurized operating fluid, said last mentioned means including a chamber interposed between said source of pressurized operating iluid and said Valve means, said chamber including an inlet for said operating fluid defined by a tube extending upwardly into said chamber, said tube having an opening therein at the bottom portion of said chamber, a valve connected to said tube below said opening therein, said chamber having an opening in the upper end portion thereof for receiving additives, and a reciprocative member normally disposed over the upper end of said tube and movable from such position in response to fluid pressure in said tube to a position in sealing engagement with the interior surface of said chamber adjacent said opening in the upper end portion, said chamber having an outlet connected to said valve means.

4. A device for providing pressurized uid of predecylinder on one side of said piston and moving said piston in response thereto for discharging pressurized uid thereby from the side of said piston remote from said operating fluid, and means upstream of said valve for introducing additives into the operating uid introduced into said cylinder, said means including a chamber series connected between said source of operating fluid and said conduits, said chamber having an opening for receiving an additive into the interior thereof, means for closing said opening, and a second closable opening for draining said chamber.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 in which said means for closing said opening includes a movable valve member engageable by said iluid and operable thereby to a closed position covering said irst mentioned opening in said chamber.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,339 Shoptaugh Sept. 27, 1898 801,612 Schramm Oct. 10, 1905 881,553 Cornish Mar. 10, 1908 1,186,948 Schneible June 13, 1916 1,652,318 Morton Dec. 13, 1927 1,676,986 Hilford July 10, 1928 1,889,096 Hurlbrink Nov. 29, 1932 1,945,290 Page et al Jan. 30, 1934 2,766,679 Ungar Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 452,224 Italy Oct. 17, 1949 604,637 Great Britain July 7, 1948 

